Archive Page 2
March 2nd, 2010 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
In a recent study, obese participants on low-fat diets lost more weight long term than those on a low-carb plan. In fact, those on low-carb diets had gained back nearly all their weight after three years, while those on low-fat diets continued to lose.
The reason for these findings, the researchers speculated, was that low-carb diets are more difficult to follow long term. They require drastic changes in the way people typically enjoy their food. Eating a sandwhich without the bread, for instance, is very difficult to follow long term. Whereas in low-fat diets, all food groups are allowed with certain important changes, such as switching from mayonnaise to mustard or from whole to skim milk.
Also in the study, rapid weight loss lead to rapid regains. Those who lost the most in the beginning were more likely to gain the weight back, and those who achieved weight loss by doing it in a slower manner, were more likely to keep it off.
SOURCES: M Vetter, M.D., R.D., medical director, Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; L Sandon, R.D., assistant professor, clinical nutrition, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas; Annals of Internal Medicine, March 2, 2010,
Source: “Low-Fat Diets Beat Low-Carb Regimen Long Term”, HealthDay, March 1, 2010
March 2nd, 2010 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
For every hour teens spend watching television, there is a 13% increased risk of low attachment to parents and a 24% increase in the risk of having low attachment to peers, according to a recent study out of New Zealand.
Source: “TV, Computers Linked to Weak Relationships”, MedPage Today, March 1, 2010
Source: Richards R, et al “Adolescent screen time and attachment to parents and peers” Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2010; 164: 258-62. 1, 2010
March 1st, 2010 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Listen to music you like for 15 to 20 minutes a day — and consider it a healthful a practice like regular exercise and a healthy diet, says Dr. Michael Miller from the Center for Preventive Cardiology, in an article by Health Day.
Involve your child in music on a daily basis, says the Nemours Foundation.
A growing body of research is pointing to the healthful benefits of listening to pleasant music. It has been found to help with such things as pain, stress, depression, intelligence, memory, and sleep to name a few.
One recent study found that soothing music was associated with a reduction in heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure in patients with coronary heart disease. And another study found that music, like laughter, may benefit heart health.
Music therapy is being used successfully with stroke patients. Finnish researchers recently found that listening to music for a few hours a day was associated with a stroke patient’s early recovery.
“Listening to music offers many benefits to children, research indicates. Musically inclined kids appear better at math and reading, have shown better focus, improved self-esteem and seem to play better with other children,” report experts in a recent article by Health Day.
Much more research needs to be done, but the healthful benefits of music are surfacing in almost every area of our lives.
Source: “Health Tip: Introduce Your Child to Music”, Health Day, March 1, 2010
Source: “Tune Up Your Health”, Health Day, January 29, 2010
Source: Michael Miller, M.D., professor, medicine, and director, Center for Preventive Cardiology, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore
Source: Aniruddh Patel, Ph.D., Esther J. Burnham senior fellow, Neurosciences Institute, San Diego
Source: Robert Zatorre, Ph.D., Montreal Neurological Institute, and professor, department of neurology and neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal
Source: Bradt J, et al “Music for stress and anxiety reduction in coronary heart disease patients” Cochrane Database of Syst Rev 2009; DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006577.pub2
February 22nd, 2010 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
The decline in breast cancer rates among women over age 50 is linked to less use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), according to Harvard Researchers. In their study of more than 350,000 women, the decline was most significant for cases of estrogen receptor-positive cancer and among affluent, white women who were most likely to have used HRT.
Source: American Journal of Public Health, February 2010
February 21st, 2010 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
This is a consumer advisory warning from the FDA, released February 20, 2010:
Ear Candles: Risk of Serious Injuries
FDA is notifying consumers and healthcare providers of its warning not to use ear candles - a hollow cone about 10 inches long made from a fabric tube soaked in beeswax, paraffin or a mixture of the two - because they can cause serious injuries, even when used according to the manufacturer’s directions. According to advertised claims, a burning ear candle draws ear wax and “impurities” or “toxins” out of the ear canal. Other claims for ear candles include relief from sinus and ear infections, headache and earache, as well as improved hearing, “blood purification,” improvements in brain function, and cure cancer. FDA has found no valid scientific evidence to support the safety or effectiveness of these devices for any medical claims or benefits. FDA has received reports of burns, perforated eardrums and blockage of the ear canal which required outpatient surgery from the use of ear candles.
FDA is especially concerned because some ear candles are being advertised for use in children. Children of any age, including babies, are likely at increased risk for injuries and complications if they are exposed to ear candles. Small children and infants may move during the use of the device, increasing the likelihood of wax burns and ear candle wax plugging up the ear canal. Also, their smaller ear canal size may make children more susceptible than adults to injuries.
Ear candles are sold and promoted in a variety of locations, including health food stores, flea markets, health spas and salons, as well as on commercial web sites.
Consumers and health care professionals are strongly encouraged to report injury related to the use of ear candles to the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:
Read the complete MedWatch 2010 Safety summary, including a link to the FDA Advice for Patients, at:
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm201108.htm
February 19th, 2010 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
The industrial cleaner trichloroethylene (TCE) has been linked to an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, according to researchers from the Parkinson’s Institute in Sunnyvale, California.
TCE exposure occurred in jobs such as dry cleaners, electricians, machinists and mechanics. The chemical was once a popular industrial solvent used in dry cleaning and to clean grease off metal parts. Because of safety concerns, TCE is no longer widely used.
Source: American Academy of Neurology, News Release, Feb. 7, 2010
February 18th, 2010 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
An aspirin at least two days a week significantly reduced the risk of death from breast cancer by 64% to 71% in a recently published study from Harvard and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
This study included 4,164 female registered nurses diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. The use of aspirin in the first year after breast cancer diagnosis was excluded in this study since the drug is discouraged during chemotherapy.
The dose of aspirin was not specified in the study as methodology was limited by self-reporting for aspirin intake. The researchers speculated that most regular use of aspirin is for heart disease prevention at the 81 mg/day level.
“These are promising findings, and if they are confirmed in additional clinical trials, physicians may be able to regularly recommend aspirin to their breast cancer patients to reduce risk of cancer spread and mortality,” wrote Lori Pierce, MD, of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, on behalf of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, in a prepared statement.
Previous studies have also found benefits of aspirin in relation to breast cancer. In September of 2009 the American Cancer Society wrote, “some studies have found that women who take aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen seem to have a lower risk of breast cancer. These, as well as several other drugs and dietary supplements, are being studied to see if they can lower breast cancer risk, although none are approved for reducing breast cancer risk at this time.”
Daily aspirin therapy is also thought to help lower the risk of heart attack and stroke in certain people, but it isn’t appropriate for everyone. Doctors often recommend daily aspirin therapy in some people who’ve had a heart attack or stroke, or who are at high risk of either.
It’s important to note that breast cancer patients should always consult their oncologist or general physician before taking aspirin, especially during the chemotherapy, as it is often discouraged.
Anyone who wishes to start on aspirin should always consult with their physician as there are several potentially dangerous side-effects of this drug:
- The anticoagulant effect of aspirin may increase the chance of serious bleeding in some people. Therefore, aspirin should be used for its preventive anticoagulant effects only when your doctor decides, after studying your medical condition and history, that the danger of blood clots is greater than the risk of bleeding.
- Aspirin can irritate the stomach or cause GI bleeding. Aspirin should always be taken with food, preferably after a meal due to its potential for stomach irritation and GI bleeding.
- Aspirin is also contraindicated in: people with allergy to aspirin or NSAIDs (Advil, Motrin, Alleve, etc), 3rd trimester pregnancy. Precautions: History of asthma or peptic ulcer, severe hepatic (liver) or renal (kidney) dysfunction, bleeding disorders, diabetes, gout, pregnancy or nursing mothers. Aspirin interacts with many medicines. For more contraindications and a list of drugs that interact with aspirin, click here
- Children and teen-agers suffering from flu-like symptoms, chickenpox and other viral illnesses shouldn’t take aspirin or aspirin products (acetylsalicylic acid / salicylates) because of the possibility of a deadly disease called Reye’s syndrome.
Source: “Aspirin Benefit Seen in Established Breast Cancer”, MedPage Today, February 16, 2010
Source: Holmes MD, et al “Aspirin intake and survival after breast cancer” J Clin Oncol 2010; DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2009.22.7918.
February 17th, 2010 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
A number of studies have found an association between regular exercise and decreased breast cancer risk, and now a new study from Alberta Health Services in Calgary finds further supporting evidence in their trial of 320 postmenopausal women.
The women in this study did aerobic exercise for at least 45 minutes five days a week over a period of 12 months. During the exercise, they monitored their pulse to achieve 70% to 80% of their heart rate reserve.
Periodically the researchers assessed blood levels of hormones and found that exercise was associated with modestly lowered levels of estradiol which is consistent with a slightly lower risk of breast cancer.
Aerobic exercise involves continuous activity that will increase your heart rate and maintain it at a higher rate for a sustained period of time, such as for 20-60 minutes.
In aerobic exercise, you continually move large muscles in the legs and buttocks. This action causes you to breathe more deeply and your heart to work harder to pump blood, thereby strengthening your heart and lungs.
What are aerobic activities? Walking briskly, bicycling or using a stationary bicycle, swimming, running, jogging, stepping machine or climbing stairs, vigorous dancing, ice skating or roller skating, aerobics (regular or low impact) cross-country skiing, rowing and playing racquetball or tennis. Riding a bike is an excellent aerobic exercise that will also strengthen the quadriceps muscles, (thigh muscles) that stabilize the knee joint.
How long? Beginners might want to start with as little as three 10-minute walks a day, most days of the week. People who are younger and more fit might want to aim for as much as 60 minutes a day, most days of the week.
How intense? To achieve the benefits of aerobic exercise, the activity must be continuous, without stopping, and strenuous enough to cause a slight but noticeable increase in breathing and heart rate. Hard enough to break a sweat, but not so hard that you can’t comfortably carry on a conversation. If you monitor your heart rate during exercise, what should it be? Calcuate your target heart rate for your age, using this calculater.
In addition to decreasing breast cancer risk, there are at least 17 other very good reasons to exercise regularly. Here is a list of the many benefits of exercise and some important tips on how to get started .
Note: Before getting started on an exercise program, it’s always best to first consult with your doctor.
Source: “For Older Women, Exercise May Cut Breast Cancer Risk”, MedPage Today, February 16, 2010
Source: Friedenreich CM, et al “Alberta physical activity and breast cancer prevention trial: Sex hormone changes in a year-long exercise intervention among postmenopausal women” J Clin Oncol 2010; DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2009.24.9557.
February 10th, 2010 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Eating too quickly may inhibit the release of hormones that cause you to feel full, and lead to overeating, according to researchers from Laiko General Hospital in Athens, Greece.
In their recent study, patients who ate a meal in 30 minutes had higher levels of two satiety-inducing hormones, than those who wolfed down their food in five minutes. The two satiety-inducing hormones are called peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1). They function to make the person feel full after a meal and do this by signaling the brain to stop eating.
Source: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
Source: “‘Wolfing’ Down Food Could Pack on the Pounds”, MedPage Today, November 2009
February 8th, 2010 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
According to a recent study, beer is good for bone health. But experts critical of the study, say it may be a good source of dietary silicon, but any attempt to link beer drinking to bone health is not based on scientific data.
The recent study of 100 commercial beers revealed an average of 29.4 mg/L of silicon, with a range of 6.4 to 56.4 mg/L, but no link between dietary silicon and bone density was established. In fact, the study did not look at bone mineral density or analyze any patient data at all.
There may be some merits to the study, say researchers, but it does not provide evidence that drinking beer is an appropriate preventive measure for bone health.
Source: “Down a Beer to Improve Bone Health? Not So Fast”, MedPage Today, February 7, 2010
Source: Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
